Session 3 will be held from 1:30 pm – 2:45pm. This panel will be discussing how small operators can compete with the large national businesses in the industry, what capital is needed to succeed, the varying types of business models and licenses, and how to create security, social equity, and workforce development plans. The moderator for this panel will be Jason Ngo. The panelists for this session are Luke Bronin, Mickey Harley, David Salinas, Sarah A. Westby and Ben Zachs.
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Jason Ngo is the Director of Engineering at Grow Better Industries. Jason directs the integration of all software and hardware components, leads the review process for all technical solutions, establishes performance standards for GBI’s technical partners and ensures that facilities have enough power to run optimally and creating backup plans if there is an outage. Prior to joining GBI, Jason spent over 14 years in Engineering Management roles.
Luke Bronin serves as the 67th mayor of the City of Hartford. He was sworn in on January 1, 2016, and was reelected to a second term in November of 2019. Prior to becoming mayor, Mayor Bronin served in senior positions in both federal and state government.
William (“Mickey”) Harley III is the Chief Executive Officer of Greenrose Acquisition Holding. Mickey has served as Greenrose’s CEO and Director since its inception. He has over 30 years of experience in agriculture, real estate and finance. From 2012-2018, Mickey served as President of Bhavanna Berries LLC, a vertically integrated branded organic blueberry business located on the North Fork of Long Island.
David Salinas is the Co-founder of HUUE (www.huue.co). David is a serial entrepreneur, an award winning marketer, real estate developer and startup advisor and investor. As a cofounder, he recently launched the Cannabis vaporization innovation called HUUE and has made a handful of other investments into innovative Cannabis brands.
Sarah A. Westby is Co-Chair of Shipman’s Cannabis Industry Team and a member of its Employer Defense and Labor Relations Practice Group. She advises clients on formation and management of a cannabis business, interpretation of state and federal cannabis laws, social equity qualifications and partnerships, business-related disputes, employment matters andcontracts.
Ben Zachs is a Founder and Executive of Fine Fettle, a Connecticut-based multi state cannabis operator. Ben drives the strategy, brand, and vision of the business. Prior to Fine Fettle, Ben worked at Bridgewater Associates in their Technology, Strategy, and Incubation team, Pearson in their education startup development group, and as a 7th grade teacher in Philadelphia.
Learn more about our other Conference Sessions:
Session 1: Where are we Now and What’s Next for Connecticut’s Emerging Cannabis Industry
